Akron hockey team prepares to meet Ohio State

The Akron Zips and OSU Buckeye hockey clubs will meet on the ice in Jackson Township this weekend.

The Repository

Writer

Posted Sep. 20, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 20, 2012 at 8:01 PM

Posted Sep. 20, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 20, 2012 at 8:01 PM

JACKSON TWP.

There may be some hot hitting at Center Ice Sports Complex this weekend.

The University of Akron’s Hockey Club has a score to settle with its counterpart at Ohio State.

“We have some bad blood because we lost to them last year,” said Zips head coach Michael Sadjadi. “We want to sweep them.”

The teams face off Friday at 8:25 p.m. and Saturday at 4:05 p.m. at Center Ice.

Last year, Akron might have been intimidated by playing the Buckeyes’ club team.

“I don’t think the guys are going to be worried,” Sadjadi said. “These guys are a smarter team, a faster team than in years past.”

The Zips split two games with the Canisius College Golden Dragons in Buffalo to open the season last weekend. Sadjadi said he is looking forward to playing Division I club teams. Akron is in Division II as a club team.

“We’re about the equivalent of a Division III NCAA team,” Sadjadi said.

His players don’t only pay in blood and sweat. It costs them roughly $2,000 a year to play, and with 25 players, that’s not enough.

The budget limits travel.

“It comes down to money at our level,” Sadjadi said.

The 26-year-old coach is a junior at Akron majoring in economics with a minor in coaching. He came to Akron after playing pro hockey for the Fayetteville (N.C.) FireAntz. He worked as an assistant coach for two years before being named head coach.

“My goal for the program overall is that I may be coaching an NCAA team,” he said, with varsity status, university support and scholarships to offer.